Protests have emerged all over the country in the past week, with thousands showing support for the Black Lives Matter movement and calling for justice to be served following the death of George Floyd after former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck. People of all skin colors have gathered to protest racism and police brutality across the globe, everywhere from New York to Portland to Kansas to Manchester, England. Along with their chants and fists in the air, the demonstrators carry signs, demanding justice and equality. Here are some of the most powerful signs captured during the worldwide Black Lives Matter protests. And for more ways you can help, check out the 7 Charities That Need Your Donation More Than Ever Right Now.
1 | This sign showing how many black men have been killed by police officers
AlamyA woman in New York held a sign highlighting other black men in addition to Floyd who have lost their lives at the hands of current or former police officers. The list includes 82 names.
2 | This sign from healthcare workers fighting two pandemics
AlamyMarches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement have emerged during the coronavirus pandemic, and these healthcare workers based in New York City gathered to show their support, calling police brutality a virus as well.
3 | And this sign, also highlighting racism as another pandemic
AlamyAs many worry about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, protestors in Washington D.C., the nation's capital, shined a light on the pandemic that is racism.
4 | This sign simply asking for justice
AlamyProtestors all over the country have been holding up signs asking for justice to be served in light of Floyd's death. Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder, which does not require an intent to kill. However many people, including Floyd's family, expected a first-degree murder charge.
5 | This sign calling out those who aren't paying attention
AlamySome demonstrators turned their messages on the silent, calling them "a part of the problem," as this sign read.
6 | This sign that turns the question back around on others
AlamyOther protestors carried signs defying those asking, "Why do you care?"—saying they wonder why others don't care.
7 | This sign showing the similarities between George Floyd and Eric Garner's murders
AlamyPeople are pointing out the similarities between the death of Floyd and Eric Garner, a black man who was murdered in 2014 in New York. In viral video footage, both were heard saying they couldn’t breathe before they were killed by police officers.
8 | This sign using the raised fist, a symbol for the Black Lives Matter movement
AlamyEven smaller cities, like Manhattan, Kansas, had protestors demonstrating with signs highlighting police brutality and systematic racism within the country.
9 | This sign showing who has been persecuted during the coronavirus pandemic
AlamyThe New York Police Department (NYPD) released data related to social distancing enforcement in early May, which showed that 80 percent of those who were issued summons for violations were people of color.
10 | This sign held by a black woman that reads: "You can't kill us all"
AlamyMany people gathered with the local chapter of the NAACP in Portland, Oregon, to protest together, including this woman and her powerful simple sign.
11 | This sign asking when there will be justice
AlamyThis sign also came from the Portland protests, with demonstrators questioning when justice will be served.
12 | And this sign asking, "Who will survive in America?"
Alamy"Who will survive in America?" is a quote from the spoken word poem "Comment #1," by Gil Scott-Heron.
13 | This sign calling ignorance a choice in the age of information
AlamyProtesters walking across the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City called out ignorance, saying those who refuse to get informed have chosen to remain ignorant.
14 | This sign asking for accountability in Los Angeles
AlamyProtestors in Los Angeles called for accountability, raising awareness for those who have been killed in the L.A. area, including Kisha Michael, Anthony "A.J." Weber, and Eric Rivera.
15 | And this sign calling for the same thing in New York
AlamyProtestors also asked for accountability for those responsible in the murders of unarmed black citizens.
16 | This sign speaking out against police brutality
AlamyAnother protestor in Los Angeles held up a sign saying, "A badge is not a license to kill," in response to police brutality.
17 | This sign about judging someone's intent by their skin color
AlamyIn England, hundreds of protestors gathered in central Manchester to protest police brutality, including this demonstrator whose sign criticized those who assume the worst in black people.
18 | This sign pointing out what happens when people remain silent
AlamyMany people have spoken up about much damage silence can do. Even Holocaust survivor Elie Wieselexpressed opposition to silence in his 1986 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech: "We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
19 | This sign reminding everyone that George Floyd should still be alive
AlamyA woman in Manhattan protested with a sign that simply read: "George Floyd should be alive right now."
20 | And this sign showing what many Black Americans are asking themselves
AlamyAs fears heighten over the deaths of unarmed Black Americans, many are wondering if they could be next.
